2001

2001 was the first year of the 21st century and the 2001st year of the Common Era of human history. Many important events occurred in 2001, with the 9/11 attacks being the most critical to the century.

Events

 * The United States and United Kingdom bombed Iraq after 16 February during the disarmament crisis to destroy the air defense network of Saddam Hussein.
 * On 1 April, a US surveillance aircraft destroyed a Chinese plane, and the US crew of the surveillance plane was detained for 10 days in the Hainan Island Incident.
 * Afghanistan Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated by a Taliban suicide bomber on 9 September, weakening the opposition to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
 * On 11 September, 2,973 American civilians were killed by al-Qaeda when four commercial airliners were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon, and when one crashed in a field in the infamous 9/11 attacks. In response, the United States and United Kingdom sent special forces to assist the Northern Alliance in the Afghan Civil War, and they overthrew the Taliban by the end of the year.

Ongoing Wars

 * Sierra Leonean Civil War (1991-2002)
 * Afghan Civil War (1991-2002)
 * Somali Civil War (1991-present)
 * Algerian Civil War (1991-2002)
 * Burundian Civil War (1993-2005)
 * Second Congo War (1998-2003)
 * Sa'dah War (1998-present)
 * Liberian Civil War (1999-2003)
 * Second Intifada (2000-2005)
 * Afghanistan War (2001-present)